AP Am. Government

Fall Schedule

August 30, 2005 - January 25, 2006

Readings:

Text

• Wilson, chapter 1

Online (to be assigned in groups):

• Plato, excerpts from The Republic
• Aristotle, excerpts from Politics (340 BCE)
• Machiavelli, excerpts from The Prince & Discourses (1513)
• Hobbes, excerpts from Leviathan (1651)
• Locke, excerpts from Two Treatises on Government (1690)
• Montesquieu, excerpts from The Spirit of the Laws (1748)

Individually Read

• Articles of Confederation

Notes:

• The American Political System

Readings:

Text

• Wilson, chapter 2

Online

• U.S. Constitution
• Amendments
• Madison, Federalist # 10
• Madison, Federalist # 51
• Hamilton, excerpts from Federalist # 84
• Antifederalist, excerpts from Centinel I
• Antifederalist, excerpts from Brutus I
  

Notes:

• The Constitution

Activities:

• Introduction to campaign Project

Readings:

Text

• Wilson, chapter 3
• Woll, # 9 Bryce: The Merits of the Federal System
• Woll, #11 Grodzins: The Federal System
• Woll, #12 Broder: A Republic Subverted

Online

• Madison, Federalist # 39
• McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
  

Notes:

• Federalism

Text

• Wilson, chapter 4

Online

• Alexis de Tocqueville, excerpts from Democracy in America: the Federal Constitution
  

Notes:

• Political Culture
  

Quiz #1 - Constitutional Foundations

• Period 5 - Sept. 23, 2004
• Periods 2,4,6 - Sept. 24, 2004

Items for Reference

• Sample Free Response Question
• Unit I assignments cover sheet

Readings:

• Wilson, chapter's 5 & 6
• Woll, # 35 Key Jr.: The Responsible electorate

Notes:

• Public Opinion
• Political Participation

Resources:

Public Opinion Polls

• Polling Report
• Public Agenda Online
• LA Times Poll
• Washington Post Poll

Voting

• Voter Turnout
• The Vanishing Voter
• Justice Dept.: Federal Voting Laws
• FEC: Registration & Statistics
• Voting Rights
  

Register to Vote:

• SD County Registrar

Campaign Project:

• Brief and Questions Due
  • Period 5 - October 1, 2004
  • Period 2,4,6 - September 30, 2004

Readings:

Text

• Wilson, chapter 7
• Woll, # 30 Wattenberg: Perspectives on American Political Parties
• Woll, # 33 Ginsberg: Politics by ather means

Notes:

• Political Parties

Resources:

Political Parties

• Republican
• Democrat
• Green
• Libertarian
  

Election Alternatives

• Proportional Voting System
• The Winner-Take-All System
• The Role of the American Two-Party System
• A Fair Voting System for the U.S.

Campaign Project:

• Presentations Due
  • Period 5 - October 7, 2004
  • Period 2,4,6 - Octoberr 8, 2004

Readings:

Text

• Wilson, chapter 8
• Woll, # 45 Sabato: The misplaced Obsession with PACs
  

Online

• Sabato, PACs & Parties
  

Notes:

• Elections & Campaigns

Resources:

Campaign Finance

• PAC Contributions
• Campaign Finance Reports and Data
• Soft Money Laundromat
• Campaign Financing
• McCain-Feingold Reform Bill

Electing the President

• The Electoral College
• The Electoral College Debate
• Federal Register: Electoral College
  

Quiz # 2 - Political Attitudes, Participation, Parties & Elections

• Period 5 - October 15, 2004
• Per. 2, 4, & 6 - October 14, 2004

Readings:

Text

• Wilson, chapter's 9 & 10
• Woll, # 42 Truman: The Governmental Process
• Woll, # 44 Rozelle & Wilcox: Interest Groups and the American Political System

Notes:

• Interest Groups
• Media

Campaign Project:

• Candidate Debates
  • Period 5- October 19, 2004
  • Period 2,4,6 - Octoberr 20, 2004

Quiz # 3 - Interest Groups and the Media (multiple-choice only)

• Period 5 - October 25, 2004
• Periods 2,4, 6 - October 26, 2004

Midterm Exam # 1

• Period 5 - October 27, 2004
• Periods 2,4, 6 - October 28, 2004

Week 10

Nov. 1 - 6

• Wilson, chapter 11

• Text (to be assigned in groups - 1 per group)

  • Woll, # 59 Fiorina: The Rise of the Washignton Establishment
  • Woll, # 60 Dodd: Congress and the Quest for Power
  • Woll, # 61 Cook: Media Power and Congressional Power
  • Woll, # 63 Fenno Jr.: The Broken Branch
  • Woll # 64 Polsby: Congress-Bashing for Beginners
  • Woll # 65 Mayhew: The Electoral Connection
  • Woll # 66 Fenno Jr.: Home Style and Washington Carreer
    

Notes:

• Congress

Resources:

Congressional Issues

• Apportionment
• Redistricting: California
• Incumbency

108th Congress

• Congressional Profile
• Gender Representation in Congress
• Racial Representation in Congress
• House: Office of the Clerk
  

Introduction to Congressional Activity

• House Simulation Guidelines
• Senate Simulation Guidelines (P. 5 only)
• Legislative Information

Part I - Current Event File Due

• Period 5 - November 1, 2004
• Periods 2,4,6 - November 2, 2004

Readings:

• Wilson, chapter 11
• Woll, # ? - Mayhew: Divided Government

Notes:

• Congress

Resources:

• Legislative Information
  

Congressional Issues

• Apportionment
• Redistricting: California
• Incumbency

108th Congress

• Congressional Profile
• Gender Representation in Congress
• Racial Representation in Congress
• House: Office of the Clerk

Bills Due:

• Period 5 - November 15, 2004
• Periods 2,4,6 - November 16, 2004

Bills Due:

• Period 5 - November 15, 2004
• Periods 2,4,6 - November 16, 2004

Activities:

• Committee Sessions
• House Debate and Vote

Readings:

Text

• Wilson, chapter 12

Supplemental Readings (assigned by group)

• Woll, # 47 Rossiter: The Presidency--Focus on Leadership
• Woll, # 48 Neustadt: Presidential Power
• Woll, # 50 Barber: Presidential Character
• Woll, # 53 Wildavsky: The Two Presidencies
• Article II of Constitution
• Hamilton, excerpts from Federalist #68
• Hamilton, excerpts from Federalist #70
  

Notes:

• The Presidency

Resources:

• FirstGov
• Executive Office of the President (EOP)
  

Quiz # 4 - Congress

• Period 5 - November 29, 2004
• Period 2,4,6 - November 30, 2004

Text

• Wilson, chapter 13
  
• Woll, #56 Woll: Constitutional Democracy and Bureaucratic Power
• Woll, #57 Wilson: The Rise of the Bureaucratic State

Online

• Weber, excerpts from Bureaucracy (1922)
  

Notes:

• The Bureaucracy

Resources:

• U.S. Government Agency Index
• House Committees
• Senate Committees

Quiz # 5 - Presidency/Bureaucracy

• Period 5 - December 13, 2004
• Periods 2,4,6 - December 14, 2004

Readings:

Text

• Wilson, chapter 14

Online

• Supreme Court Cases
• Judicial Restraint
• Judicial Activism
• Marbury vs. Madison (1803)
• Federalist #78
  

Notes:

• The Judiciary

Quiz # 5 - Presidency/Bureaucracy

• Period 5 - December 13, 2004
• Periods 2,4,6 - December 14, 2004

Readings:

Text

• Wilson, chapter 18
  

Online

• John Stuart Mill: excepts from On Liberty (1859)

Notes:

• Civil Liberties

Resources:

• Landmark Supreme Court Cases
• Judicial Restraint
• Judicial Activism

Readings:

Text

• Wilson, chapter 19
  

Online

• John Stuart Mill: excepts from On Liberty (1859)

Notes:

• Civil Rights

Resources:

• Landmark Supreme Court Cases
• Judicial Restraint
• Judicial Activism

Part II - Current Event File Due

• Per 5 - January 11, 2005
• Per 2,4,6 - January10, 2005

Quiz # 6 (multiple-choice only)

• Per 5 - January 13, 2005
• Per 2,4,6 - January 14, 2005

Midterm #2

• Per 5 - January 20, 2005
• Per 2,4,6 - January 21, 2005

Week 19

January 23 - 28

• Finals Week

Semester Final

• Per 2, 4 - January 25, 2005
• Per 5, 6 - January 26, 2005